


Like A Moth To A Flame

by Val_Brown



Category: Adam Lambert (Musician), Tommy Ratliff (Musician)
Genre: Always-A-Girl!Tommy, Community: tjrbigbang, Domestic Violence, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Het, Music, Rule 63
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-23
Updated: 2013-07-23
Packaged: 2017-12-21 03:32:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/895273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Val_Brown/pseuds/Val_Brown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tommi Jo has been in the music scene since she was 16, a huge break for her band Monday Mourning , a nasty split with a controlling boyfriend and a new found friend in Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz, this summer is set to be fun, right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like A Moth To A Flame

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Alright... so I tagged domestic violence. It's not graphic, the guy grabs Tommi and bruises her, but nothing beyond that. I just wanted to put that on there because even the grabbing can be triggering. It's a small scene, but it's in there. I wanted to cover my bases. 
> 
> A/A/N:  
> I was so scared to write this fic. I never write het, for some reason it scares the crap out of me. I can do the het sex... but writing it is scary. LOL My beta was amaze! Thank you aislinntlc for making me fix the wonky stuff. My artist writinchica2k made me AMAZING art. A banner AND and EP cover for Monday Mourning! And yes for those of you that question... my Girl!Tommy ALWAYS looks like LynZ Way. In my head that's what she looks like so... Yeah. I hope you like this, I'm pretty damn proud of it.

[](http://s1340.photobucket.com/user/Valress1/media/Like_A_Moth_To_The_Flame_1_by_ChelieClixHellaPixcopy_zps4a2d9f2a.png.html)

“Where are my boots?!” Tommi barrelled around the corner holding her plaid skirt in one hand while she tugged her shirt over her head with the other. 

“You left them next to Izzy’s Vans,” Ash said, tugging at his bangs in front of the mirror with one hand and pointing to his left with the other. “Over by the door.”

“Thank you! I swore I had them in my bag.” Tommi tugged her skirt over her hips as she walked toward the door and her boots. Stuffing her feet into them, she turned back to Ash. “Where’s Addison? We’re supposed to go on in like fifteen minutes.”

“She’s on her way, she had a phone call or something.” Brie said, gathering her braids together, plaiting them so they hung together down her back. 

“I’m forgetting something aren’t I?” Izzy stumbled into the dressing room, her jeans open, her short brown hair spiked and a blue bandana around her forehead.

“A shirt?” Ash said as he pulled his waist coat on over his white tank top, leaving it unbuttoned. “Hey TJ, can you hand me my belt? It’s right next to your butt.”

Izzy looked down at herself and rolled her eyes. “Can someone hand me my shirt?”

Brie laughed and tossed Izzy her shirt. “Girl, you would have wrecked Addison. You behind the kit, shirtless. She would have had an aneurysm.”

“Eh, could be worse. TJ could go without a bra again.” Izzy’s voice was muffled as she pulled her shirt on. 

“Shut up! That was one time! It’s not like I knew the shirt was see through!” Tommi said, pulling her hair up into two high pigtails, wrapping skull ribbons around them both.

“Yeah one time that nearly made me fall off the stage.” Addison said as she swept into the room in a cloud of lilies and freesia and planted a smacking kiss to Tommi’s forehead. 

“This is why I always make sure I have more than one bra in my stage clothes now.” Tommi leaned against the counter and carefully placed a small skull decal high on her cheek. “This is straight right? It’s not wonky?”

Addison grabbed her chin and turned her head so she could look at it. “Nope, looks good. That make up is going to look wicked under the stage lights.”

Tommi just smiled and sprayed her pigtails with hairspray. “Are we ready? Lets get out of here before that weird stage person comes back. He tried to come in when Brie and I were getting dressed. So weird.”

“Yeah, lets go,” Addison said as she adjusted her belt and tucked her pants into her boots. 

The group of them made their way toward the stage, a cloud of laughter in their wake. Addison stopped at the edge of the stage and let the others file past, bumping fists as they took the stage.

Tommi laughed when the crowd lost their minds as Addison strutted out on stage. Her life couldn’t get any better than this.

~~

“Wait... What?” Tommi put her bottle down and wiped the beer that had dribbled out of her mouth from her face. “We’re touring with **who**?”

“We’re going to be opening for Fall Out Boy,” Addison said as she sat back and fiddled with the straw in her Long Island Ice Tea.

“You’re serious? You aren’t fucking with me?” Tommi reached down to tug her boots off. “Christ Addison, _Fall Out Boy_!”

Addison smiled around her straw, “I know, right?!” 

“We did it, what we talked about growing up. We made it. Well at least, we’re in the process. I thought getting a record deal was the highlight of my life, but Jesus Fucking Christ, Addison. We are **opening for Fall Out Boy**!” Tommi said, laughing. “When do we leave?”

“We have about a month,” Addison said as she settled back on her couch. “Gives Ash and Brie time to spend with their spouses, and you time to spend with Evan. How’s that going anyway?”

Tommi shrugged as she wiggled her toes into the carpet. “I mean, it’s good, I guess. He loves me. He’s not going to be happy about the tour though.”

“What do you mean he won’t be happy, TJ?” Addison looked at Tommi from under her bangs, poking Tommi’s calf with her foot. “Is everything okay at home, TJ?”

“Yeah... No. No, it’s not. I’m pretty sure that when I get home and tell him that we’re going on tour he’s going to flip. He already has an issue with the music thing, as he calls it. But this, me leaving for what, four months? He’s going to tell me I can’t go.” Tommi leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. 

“He can try,” Addison huffed before tipping her head back to pull her hair into a high, messy bun. “What’s his deal trying to control what you can and can’t do?”

“I wish I knew,” Tommi closed her eyes as she rested her head on the back of her chair. “It didn’t used to be like this, when I was still at the call center and doing music on the side he was fine. But as soon as we started getting more popular and I quit my job, he started trying to dictate how I live my life.”

“Does he hit you, Tommi?” Addison put her hand on Tommi’s leg, squeezing lightly. Tommi swallowed thickly, Evan was the first real relationship she had been in where she actually thought there could be a future. She was torn, how could this man say he loves her, yet say these things that make her unhappy? But he also said that he loved her; was he just wanting to protect her from the cruelty of the music industry? Even if he was, Tommi thought, why would he make her hurt with his words?

“No, he’s never done that, he just tries to tell me what I can and can’t do.” Tommy pulled her hair out of the pigtails and scratched at her scalp. “I don’t understand why he does it.”

Addison leaned forward and patted Tommi’s leg. “ I don’t either, baby. I’m so sorry you’re having to deal with that. Come on, gotta get ready for bed.” Addison pushed herself to her feet, adjusting the waist of her pajama pants. 

Tommi drained the last of her beer. “Yeah, okay, help me up.” Tommi held her hand out for Addison to take. “You’re gonna have to get me out of this devil’s trap of a bra too. Christ, it’s digging into my ribs.”

Addison laughed. “Oh honey, lets free your boobs and go to bed.”

Tommi groaned as she shuffled along behind Addison to her tiny bathroom. “Do I have to put on pajamas?”

“If I have to sleep with clothes on you do too, TJ,” Addison said around her toothbrush, watching Tommi wash her makeup off. “You know Larry will show up at like the ass crack of dawn to wake us up, and he gets all weird around naked women.”

“Ugh, all the prudes afraid of naked girls,” Tommi mumbled. She splashed water on her face. “Assholes.”

“I know, baby. Your stuff is on the bed. I’m crashing,” Addison leaned down to press a kiss to Tommi’s cheek.

“I’ll be done in a minute,” Tommi said, smiling, and dried her face before pulling off her shirt and turning her back to Addison. “Can you unhook this thing?”

Tommi groaned in relief as her bra slipped down her arms. “Oh god, thank you.”

Addison laughed as she crawled into the bed. “Hurry up and turn out the light.”

“Yeah, Yeah,” Tommi said as she pulled her tank top on. Flipping the lights off, she pulled her skirt off and tugged on her pajama pants. Crawling in the bed, Tommi rolled over to face Addison. “Love you.”

“Love you too, Teej.” Addison said around a yawn. She curled an arm over Tommi’s waist and buried her nose in Tommi’s neck. Tommi smiled and linked their fingers together.

~~

 

“You’re not going, Tommi Jo,” Evan said as he followed Tommi into her bedroom. 

“Right,” Tommi pulled her suitcase from the back of her closet and tossed it on her bed. Grabbing a handful of panties she tossed them next to it. “Look Evan, this is my job. This tour is the next step for us. If you can’t support me, then you don’t need to be with me.”

Tommi pushed past Evan on her way back to the closet. Pulling a couple of skirts from hangers, she didn’t hear Evan come up behind her. “When are you going to give this up and get a real job?”

“Real... seriously, Evan? I have a real job. I get paid, I have a roof over my head, I have clothes. What is your fucking deal?” Tommi wheeled around and glared at Evan, her brown eyes flashing angrily. It’s in this moment that she realizes just how unhealthy this relationship is. She is her own person, not someone that Evan can order around. “Ever since we got signed to DecayDance you’ve been an asshole. Is your ego so fragile that you can’t handle me making more money than you?”

Tommi gasped as Evan lunged at her and gripped her tightly around her upper arms. “You are not going,” he growled through his teeth.

“Fuck. You!” Tommi brought her knee up quickly, hitting him in the groin. As Evan fell to his knees, she kicked out once again catching him in the ribs. “Get the fuck out of my house.”

Staggering to his feet, he glared back at Tommi. “You’ll be back. You always come back,” he sneered, opening the front door. “Who else is going to deal with you and your moods? You’re lucky I put up with you.”

Tommi scoffed. “You put your hands on me and you think I’m going to come back to you? Fuck you.” Tommi slammed the door and with shaking hands turned the deadbolt and slid the chain on. Taking a deep breath she went back to her room to finish packing her bags, ignoring the tear that slipped down her cheek as she rubbed at her upper arms.

~~

 

“Tommi?” Addison called, stumbling down the hallway. Tommi sat on her couch, a cup of coffee in her hands.

“There’s more in the kitchen,” Tommi said absently as she inhaled the steam and sat back.

“I take it Evan was an ass,” Addison called from the kitchen. 

“An ass is the nicest thing we could call him at this point,” Tommi said as Addison came back into the room. “He wasn’t happy when I told him about the tour last month. He either blocked out that we’re leaving tomorrow or he thought he could tell me no. I was trying to pack last night and he told me I wasn’t going. When I told him he couldn’t tell me what to do, he grabbed me. So I kicked him in the junk and told him to get out.”

Addison set her cup on the table and rushed to sit next to Tommi. “Did he hurt you? Did he leave a mark on you?”

“No, no. He didn’t leave any marks. He’s gone. I’m glad he never moved in. I put all the shit he had at my place in a box and dropped it at his mother’s house this morning,” Tommi said leaning her head on Addison’s shoulder. “She wasn’t surprised to see me at all. She did wish me luck and gave me a hug and a huge tub of cookies though.”

“She always liked you. You’re too good for him and she knew it.” Addison ran her fingers through Tommi’s hair. Looking down at the blond strands between her fingers, Addison tugged lightly. “Baby, we got to get your roots done before we leave.”

Tommi laughed and leaned up to kiss Addison on the cheek. “Does Amy have an opening for me?”

“She always has a spot for you. Besides, she’s the one who pointed out the state of your hair. Girl, why did you let them get this bad? You don’t see me rocking ginger roots do you?” Addison said with a laugh.

Tommi pushed her away with a hand to her face as she laughed. “Shut up.”

~

“Nice Tommi! Love the pink,” Izzy said, tossing her bag on her bunk. “What made you go with that?”

“I needed a change,” Tommi said as she tucked her bag at the foot of her bunk and tossed her pillow at the other end.

“Evan’s gone isn’t he?” Ash sat at the table and opened his laptop. “He was a dick.”

“Yes and yes.” Tommi curled up next to Ash as he pulled up his email. “He was trying to tell me that I wasn’t allowed to go. That I needed to find, and I quote, a _real job_.”

“Seriously? God I knew I hated that guy,” Brie said, coming down from her bunk.

“Alright guys, enough about the asshole. We’re going to be meeting up with Patrick and Pete in about an hour. They’re meeting us at the first venue.” Addison looked at her phone as she sat across from Tommi and Ash. 

“Okay, so...” Izzy perched on the back of the bench seat, resting her bare feet on the edge of the table and spinning a pair of drumsticks between her fingers. “Am I going to be the one to state the obvious here, since no one else seems to be saying anything?”

“What?” Ash asked, closing his computer and tucking it away, before smacking the top of Izzy’s feet. “Feet off the table, you caveman.”

“Guys, we are on a major tour with Fall Out Boy. The guy who signed us will be on tour with us. Am I the only one losing my fucking shit right now?” Izzy asked, pointing her sticks at them. “Oh my Jesus Christ on toast, Andy Hurley will see me play. Holy Hell.”

Tommi laughed when Izzy dropped her sticks at the realization.

~

“No, I...” Tommi ran her hand through her bangs in frustration as she tightened her grip around her phone. “Fuck you, Evan. We’re done. I told you this before I even left. Lose my number.”

Tommi angrily hung up her phone, well as angrily as one can when they can’t slam the receiver down. Tucking her phone in the front pocket of her hoodie, she growled loudly in the empty hallway.

“Problems at home?”

Tommi whirled around, scowl still firmly in place, to find Pete leaning against the wall. “Yes... no. No problems, because I broke up with him for being a dickbag.”

“Oh?” Pete crossed his arms over his chest and watched her fidget with the strings of her hood.

“Yeah, he tried to tell me that I wasn’t allowed to come on the tour, like I’m a fucking child! And then,” Tommi pushed off the wall behind her angrily and waved her fist in the air. “He put his hands on me! He fucking grabbed me, like he had the right to grab me like that.”

“Is that where those bruises came from? The ones you've been keeping hidden from your band mates.” Pete asked, stepping closer to her, one hand reaching out. 

Tommi pressed her fingers to the spot she knew the fading bruises were. “Yeah, I knew he was no good, you know? Met him after a show a year ago, his mom warned me about him.” Tommi laughed bitterly. Even back then she had a bad feeling about Evan. But he said all the right things, all the things she needed to hear from someone at that time in her life. “His mother! I should have known he was a dick.”

“Come on, you didn’t know he was going to do that. Not to mention you got out of that situation,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “and now you’re here, people are buying Monday Mourning’s merch and the EP faster than we can get more copies. Fuck him, you got it made now.”

Tommi smiled as Pete squeezed her shoulder and turned to head back down the hallway. “Wanna grab a coffee?”

“Sure,” Tommi said, looping her arm around Pete’s elbow.

~

Tommi was checking her pedals when she heard his voice break over the sound of Izzy tuning her kick drum. Slowly she raised her head to see Evan arguing with Ash near the back of the theater. She kicked at her board and turned to walk off stage, hoping he wouldn’t see her. She noticed Pete standing at the edge of the stage, near the steps, his eyes glued to the back of the theater.

“TOMMI JO!” Evan yelled as he pushed past Ash, making his way down the aisle.

Tommi made her way to the edge of the stage closest to Pete and crouched down. “What do you want? I told you, it’s over. I don’t want to hear anything from you.”

“Come on Tommi Jo, I know I was a jerk. I didn’t mean it, baby.” Evan said, his blue eyes glittering as he tried to look contrite. “I heard your song on the radio a few days ago.It’s a good song, it’s pretty popular.”

Tommi stood up in shock, her mouth hanging open as she realized exactly why he was here. It wasn’t because he felt bad about what he did, it was because Monday Mourning was getting extremely popular, songs were being played on the radio, they were being interviewed in rock magazines. He wanted to ride it for the exposure. She laughed, feeling Pete step up behind her. “Are you high? You really think... No, just no.” Tommi turned and put a hand on Pete’s chest. “Come on, I wanna eat before soundcheck.”

Pete hooked an arm over her shoulders as they walked off stage leaving Evan glaring behind them.

~

“Pretty sure he thinks we’re a couple now,” Pete said as he sat next to Tommi, taking a drink of his water.

“He can think what he wants as long as he’s leaving me the hell alone. I want him gone, Pete.” Tommi said tearing open her bag of chips.

Pete put his hand on her wrist. “Security already has a picture of him. He’s not allowed near you.”

Tommi breathed out a breath she didn’t know she was holding in. “Thank you.”

Pete smiled at her as he stood up, squeezing her shoulder once he tucked his hands into his pockets and headed toward his bus.

~

Tommi laughed as she handed her guitar to the tech following Ash off stage and saw Pete standing off to the side where he was watching their set.

“Hey Ash, I’ll catch up to you at the bus, yeah?” Tommi headed toward where Pete was leaning against the wall. “Like the show?”

“Always do. You guys are getting better with every performance.” Pete reached out to push her bangs back, the tips of his fingers grazing her sweaty cheek. 

Tommi smiled shyly, this, whatever it was starting between them, was new and not so much scary as unexpected. “Thanks, um, I should get to the bus.”

“Yeah,” Pete said, tucking his hands in his pockets. “You wanna hang on our bus on the way to the next venue?”

“Sure, I’ll meet you there after you’re done?”

Pete nodded and watched as she walked down the small hallway.

~

“So, what’s going on with you and Pete?” Addison asked as she flopped on the couch next to Tommi, the question making Tommi fumble her bottle of water.

“What?” Tommi asked quickly, her cheeks flushing pink.

“You’ve spent the last few nights on his bus. What’s going on there?” Addison smiled like she already knew the answer.

“Nothing?”

Addison raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. “Really? So, the beard burn on your neck is nothing?”

Tommi slapped her hand against the side of her neck. “Okay, maybe something?”

“Something is more than nothing. Spill it, Tommi Jo.” Addison pulled Tommi’s feet into her lap and grabbed the polish remover and cotton balls from the side table. 

Tommi took a breath and leaned her head back. “It was never meant to go beyond just hanging out.”

“Okay, so what happened?” Addison asked as she began removing the polish from Tommi’s toes.

“We were just watching a movie, everyone else went to their bunks and...” Tommi mumbled, and began picking at her fingernail polish.

“And what?” Addison smacked her knuckles. “Don’t pick at it! I’ll take it off when I’m done with your toes.”

“And I kissed him.” Tommi said quietly. Addison’s hand tightened on her foot. “He kissed me back, a lot.”

“Good or bad thing, Tommi?” Addison asked quietly as she pulled a deep red polish from the drawer.

“Good, really good thing. He’s different. Like, he doesn’t treat me like I’m stupid, or like I can’t take care of myself. He just lets me be Tommi.” She wiggled the toes on her polish free foot. “He _likes_ me, not the me that everyone thinks I should be. But the me that I really am. No one has liked _me_ before.”

“We do,” Addison said, blowing lightly on Tommi’s toes.

“I know you do and I love you all so much. But every person I have been in a relationship with, from Katrina to Evan, has always wanted me to be someone I’m not. Pete... he just wants me to be me.” Tommi moved her painted foot to the back of the couch and let Addison start on the other one. “He doesn’t expect anything from me either. We talked about it, we can continue to let it be what it is, just kissing, or we can take it the next step.”

“The question is, Tommi. What do you want?”

~

Tommi pulled Pete’s hoodie on as she walked into the kitchenette. 

“Morning Tommi,” Joe said as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “Coffee?”

“Nah, I gotta get back to my bus.” Tommi said with a smile, pulling the hood over her hair. “Thanks though.”

Joe nodded and turned back to his coffee as she hopped off the bus and scurried across the parking lot to where her band was waiting for her. Tommi walked up the steps and pulled the hood off her head. “Good morning.”

Tommi stopped short, taking in the grim faces staring back at her. “What’s going on?”

“You need to sit down,” Ash said as he opened his laptop. “Uh, shit, how do I ask this?”

“Ask what?” Tommi said as she sat down next to Addison, her stomach suddenly dropping to her feet as Izzy looked up at her.

“When you were with Evan did you let him take pictures of you?” Brie asked quietly.

That question had Tommi jumping to her feet and rushing to the small bathroom as cold realization slammed into her. Hitting her knees, she emptied what little she had in her stomach into the toilet. She heard water running and suddenly a hand pressed a cool cloth to the back of her neck. Reaching back, Tommi held the hand and the cloth to her neck as she stood up and turned toward the table full of her bandmates. “I swore I deleted all of them. There should be none. How bad?”

“Uh, well,” Ash said, turning his computer around so she could see. It was a collage of five pictures. All of them were of her in the shower. Shots of her from the side and the back lined the edges and one in the center of her from the front, her eyes closed, head tilted back as she washed her hair.

“I... I didn’t know these were being taken. I didn’t!” Tommi fell to her knees, her face in her hands. “He did this, I know he did.”

“We know, TJ. We need to tell Pete though.” Addison ran her fingers through Tommi’s hair.

Tommi dropped her hands to her lap and nodded. Pushing to her feet, Tommi wiped a hand over her face. “I’ll go. He needs to hear this from me.” She turned and walked out of the bus, the hood back over her head, her shoulders pulled tight. Tommi walked across the parking lot, terrified at what she had to tell Pete. All she could see was the failing of her dream because of the petty decision of one pissed off man.

~

Tommi took a deep breath and and walked across the parking lot to where Pete was standing behind the bus.

“Hey,” Pete said with a smile as he saw Tommi walk up. Noticing her face, he frowned and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

“Can we talk inside? It’s pretty bad.” Tommi said softly, twisting the sleeves of her hoodie between her fingers.

“How bad? On a scale of you got caught doing drugs to my dick pics bad, how bad is it?”

“Dick pics.”

“Okay... inside it is.” Pete steered them toward the bus and up the steps. Sitting on the couch, he pulled her down next to him and kept his arm over her shoulders. “Alright, tell me what happened and how bad.”

“Apparently, Evan leaked some pictures he took of me in the shower.” Tommi said softly, her eyes on the floor, her hands fisted. “I am so pissed. I don’t even know what to do.”

“We’ll take this head on. Did you know he took those pictures?” Pete asked as he rubbed his hand over her arm.

“No, at one time there were others, but I deleted those. These I had no idea he took and you can see that I didn’t know.” Tommi said pulling her phone out. Pulling up the pictures, she turned the phone so Pete could see.

“Okay, at least they’re good pictures,” Pete said with a smirk. “So we can hit these head on. Make a statement that they were taken and posted without your permission and if you want to we can threaten Evan with litigation.”

“It’s not going to ruin things? I don’t want to ruin anything for the rest of the band.” Tommi tucked her phone away and turned to face Pete.

“Not going to ruin anything. Look, if Fall Out Boy got through my dick being all over the internet, Monday Mourning will get over some pictures of you in the shower,” Pete said with authority. “Don’t worry about it, we hit it head on. Deal with the pics the best we can and you play music. That’s the important part. Naked pictures of you is not going to stop you from playing as well as you do, don’t let that asshole ruin this for you because he’s a petty prick.”

Tommi nodded and tucked her bangs behind her ears, relieved at Pete’s reaction. She huffed a shy laugh. “The pics are kinda good though.”

“Those pics are gorgeous; it helps the subject is pretty flawless.” Pete leaned in and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. “So, I’ll get in contact with our lawyer and see what we can do about Evan. We’ll also issue a statement about the photos. Are you going to be okay?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Tommi nodded and let Pete pull her close. “It was mostly a shock and I was worried about the band. I’m mainly pissed that he’s still trying to control me. I just want him to go away.”

Pete smiled at her and stood up pulling her to her feet. “You are strong and you can get through this. He has no control over you anymore.”

Tommi nodded and smiled. “Thank you.”

“Anytime, Tommi,” Pete said as he pulled his phone out.

Feeling lighter than she had when she walked over, Tommi pulled her hood up and walked back to her bus and her bandmates.

~

Tommi pulled her hair into a ponytail and tugged on a hoodie before hopping down the bus steps and following Ash out to where the fans were gathered by the gate. 

Tommi was surprised that she hadn’t had more questions about the pictures. For the first couple of days that was all anyone wanted to talk about, but when she kept acting like it wasn’t a big deal, everyone else let it slide on by. She was grateful for that, the last thing she wanted to answer questions about was her tits.

She had crouched down to sign a cd for a little girl with bright pink pigtails when she heard Evan’s voice. Feeling herself tense, she tried to keep the anger at bay. Keeping a smile on her face, Tommi posed with the child for a picture and a hug before turning to Ash. _”He’s here.”_ she mouthed. Ash nodded and waved toward a security guard, who in turn spoke into a radio. 

Tommi turned to another fan and was signing a cd insert when she felt a hand on her back, and knew from the sound of the crowd around her that it was Pete. She smiled as she leaned back slightly, and turned to stick her tongue out at him.

“Where is he?” Pete whispered as he leaned in and rubbed lightly against her back. 

“Just past the guy with the mohawk, I’m fine though,” She said and smiled at another young fan, nodding at a request for a picture.

“Okay, I’ll be just over there with security if you need me.” Pete let his hand slide off her back and walked back toward the shadows where security was lurking.

Tommi nodded, focused on the crowd of fans in front of her. Smiling, signing and taking pictures, she didn’t notice Evan getting closer until he grabbed her arm.

“Miss me, Tommi Jo?” Evan hissed as he pulled on her arm.

Tommi glared at the hand on her arm and pulled free. “Don’t touch me. You have less than five minutes until the cops get here,” she hissed. Looking past Evan, she saw Ash and Pete coming toward them, a large security guard already at her side.

“You need to remove your hand from her,” the security guard said as he walked up to them. “You okay, Tommi Jo?”

“Yeah, yeah I am,” Tommi said. She looked over to see Ash holding Pete back as he lunged at Evan. Glaring over at them, she shook her head and held her hand up. “Let me handle this please.”

“Gonna have him fight your battles for you again, Tommi Jo? Can’t take care of yourself?” Evan sneered as the security guard began pushing him away from the crowd.

“I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Evan.” Tommi glared at him, her arms crossed over her chest. “It’s just nice to know that someone cares enough for me as a person to want to stand up for me.”

Evan grunted as the security guard pushed him through the crowd. Tommi watched as the police that showed up put Evan in handcuffs and into the back of the police car.

Tommi turned to the crowd and smiled. “Sorry about that guys. Being a grown up is hard sometimes.” The crowd laughed as she turned to Ash and Pete. “You gonna keep hugging Pete or you gonna come hang out with these awesome fans?”

Ash laughed and patted Pete’s shoulder as he walked back over to Tommi. Pete walked over too and leaned in, his lips touching her ear. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I’ll meet you in my room at the hotel,” Tommi whispered as a teen boy walked up, his cheeks bright pink, and handed her a picture of her on stage to sign. 

Pete nodded and headed back to his bus. Tommi watched him walk away before turning back to the fans.

~

Tommi heard the shuffling outside her door before she heard the knock. Ruffling the towel through her hair, she peeked out the peephole to see Pete standing in the hallway. She opened the door and waved him in with her wet towel. 

“Is that my shirt?” Pete asked as he sat in the chair in the corner of her room.

Tommi looked down at herself and smirked. “Yeah, Joe gave it to me.”

Pete nodded and folded his hands together. “I want you to have more security and you probably shouldn’t go out to sign after the shows.”

Tommi paused in combing her hair and slowly turned to pin him with a glare. “Excuse me? More security I can understand, but I am not going to stop going out to meet the fans.”

“Tommi, he just walked up to you! He put his hands on you again!” Pete stood up and threw his hands in the air.

“Yes, and security was right there and so was Ash. I am not wholly incapable of taking care of myself, Pete!” Tommi threw her comb on the counter and whirled around, putting her hands on her hips.

“I know you can take care of yourself. Damn it, Tommi. I watched him grab you and it took all I had to not knock Ash down and kick the shit out of Evan.” Pete walked up to Tommi, his hand coming up to push her hair behind her ear. “It scared the hell out of me that he was able to get that close to you and I couldn’t stop it.”

Tommi sighed and wrapped her hand in Pete’s shirt. “I’ll agree to more security, I draw the line at not seeing the fans.”

“Fine,” Pete said fingering the bottom of her shirt, tugging it up to run his hand over her belly. Tracing the waistband of her pajama pants, he leaned in, pressing a kiss to her mouth. “Two security guards.”

“One, but I’ll take him or her wherever I go,” Tommi said, sliding her hands underneath his shirt, pulling him closer as she leaned back against the counter. “I promise.”

She felt him run his hands over the soft skin of her back, sliding his hands below the waist of her pajamas, cupping her behind and lifting her to sit on the edge of the counter so he could step between her legs. She sucked in a breath, it had been so long since she had felt like this for another person. Even during the good times in her relationship with Evan, she had never felt this safe and cared for. She knew she was falling fast for Pete, and she hoped he was feeling the same way. Tommi pushed her hands up Pete’s back, taking his shirt up higher until he had to lift his arms so she could pull it off. Tossing it to the floor, Tommi leaned in and pressed her lips to the thorns on his collarbones, dragging her tongue over the heated skin. She smiled against him as she felt Pete shiver, his hands pulling her tight against him, pressing his cock against the inside of her thigh. 

“Are we really going to do this here?” Pete asked as he tugged Tommi’s shirt over her head, dipping his head down to lick at a nipple. Tommi inhaled sharply and tightened her legs around his waist. “I mean, we could, but the bed is more comfortable and condoms are over there, and I would like our first time together to be on a bed, honestly.”

“Bed,” Tommi gasped out. Pete pulled her off the counter, her legs still tight around his waist, and walked the ten feet to the bed where he laid her on the comforter and tugged her baggy sweats off, leaving her in nothing but her panties. Tommi groaned as he slowly kissed from her ankle to the top of her thigh, then over her belly and down the other leg, before she was able to wiggle out of her underwear. “Fucking tease!” Tommi whined, frustrated as he continued to press teasing kisses along her legs.

Pete chuckled and pushed her thighs apart, using his thumbs to spread her open and licking all the way up to her clit, sucking on it before slowly pushing one finger inside her. Tommi grabbed the pillow behind her, feeling overwhelmed, as he licked around his finger before pushing in with a second finger, curling them, rocking inside her as he worked her clit with his tongue. She thrashed and cried out as she came, her hands coming down to clutch at Pete’s hair as she shuddered through her orgasm. Letting her hands fall limply to her sides, Tommi giggled and pulled Pete up so she could kiss him. “You taste like me. That’s really hot.” Tommi felt a warmth unfurl in her chest, sex had never been as fun or gratifying with Evan, it had always felt perfunctory. 

Pete smiled and reached into the slightly opened drawer to grab a condom. Tommi took it from him and tore it open, before reaching down to roll it on him. Once she was sure it was on correctly, Tommi pulled him closer and hitched her hips up until she could feel the tip of his cock slide between her lips. “Come on, please?”

Pete reached down to position himself and pressed forward, resting his forehead on Tommi’s shoulder as she drew him closer, driving her hips up to meet his thrust. Pete clutched her thighs as he sat back on his heels, pulling her into his lap and driving up hard, punching a breathy moan from her lips. Tilting her head down slightly, Tommi pressed her open mouth to Pete’s as she rocked her hips, grinding against Pete, who thrust up, holding her hips tight in his hands. Gasping into Pete’s mouth, Tommi pushed until Pete rolled to his back. Sitting up, Tommi rolled her hips forward, breath hitching at the friction. “Fuck.”

Pete gripped her thigh with one hand and slid his other thumb along her clit. Tommi held her breath as her entire body tightened like a bow string. She could feel her orgasm building, making her keen loudly. His hips stuttered as she clenched around him, riding him as his thumb worked in tight circles, drawing out her orgasm. “Want you to come, Tommi.” Sweat rolled down her chest as she leaned back, her hands on his thighs, grinding down against him. 

Pete’s thrusts became more erratic as Tommi clenched around him, her orgasm cresting in a wave, her hips stuttering. She fell forward as Pete wrapped his arms around her to thrust three more times before pressing in hard, grunting as his orgasm was punched out of him. Tommi lay on Pete for a moment, listening to the steady _thumpthumpthump_ of his heart beat, a small content smile on her face. She let her eyes flutter closed for a moment; she had never felt so comfortable, so at peace with herself after sex. It was an intense feeling.

“Fuck, just...” Tommi rolled off of Pete as he held the base of the condom. Her eyes followed him in a post sex haze as he padded to the bathroom to dispose of the condom and wipe up. She flipped to her stomach under the sheet, having tossed the comforter to the floor. “You gonna stay here?” She wanted him to say yes, more than anything she wanted him to say yes. In the few short weeks they had gotten to know each other, she had fallen a bit harder for him than she thought she would.

“Only if you want me to,” he said as he leaned against the bathroom door, unashamed in his nudity.

Tommi tossed the sheet back and thumped the bed. “I want.” He crawled in next to her and waited as she arranged them according to her comfort. She settled and began running her hand over his chest. 

“So, Tommi, what are we going to do after the tour? Is this just a tour thing? If it is, that’s fine. But—” Pete ran his hands through her hair and she turned to look up at him.

“But what?” Tommi asked, tracing the thorns with her fingers.

“But I would like it to last longer than that,” he said drawing his hand through her hair. She pressed her face into his chest; she knew he was looking down at her and that he could see her heart in her eyes before she leaned up to press a kiss to his chin.

“I would too.” Tommi settled down and wrapped an arm around Pete’s waist, her head on his chest. 

Tommi smiled as she drifted off. She never thought that in just a few short months her entire world would change, but she wouldn’t wish it any other way.


End file.
